Freeport-McMoRan Says Copper Sales Down From Year Ago -- Earnings Review

Freeport-McMoRan Inc. reported fourth quarter earnings Thursday. Here's what you need to know:

EARNINGS: The company made $1.04 billion, or 71 cents a share, up substantially from $292 million, or 21 cents per share, for the fourth quarter of 2016. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $750 million, or 51 cents a share, up more than double from $351 million, or 25 cents per share. That topped estimates from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters of 49 cents a share.

REVENUE: Revenue rose 15% to $5.04 billion. During the quarter, the company said it sold 1 billion pounds of copper and 24 million pounds of molybdenum. It also sold 593,000 ounces of gold, it said.

Because of lower sales at Cerro Verde in Peru and in North America, copper sales were slightly down from the 1.1 billion pounds the company sold the same period a year ago. In the fourth quarter of 2016, Freeport-McMoRan sold 405,000 ounces of gold. It said this year's increase was "primarily reflecting anticipated higher ore grades from Indonesia." This quarter's molybdenum sales were also more than the 22 million pounds the company sold the same time a year ago.

COMMENTARY: Chief Executive Richard Adkerson said in prepared remarks Thursday that the copper market was "favorable" going into 2018.

GUIDANCE: For 2018, Freeport-McMoRan said it expects to sell 3.9 billion pounds of copper, 91 million pounds of molybdenum and 2.4 million ounces of gold.

Shares rose 4.3% premarket.

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January 25, 2018 08:57 ET (13:57 GMT)